Hyundai built this three-row to compete with luxury nameplates at half the sticker, quilted Calligraphy leather, 360 cameras, and semi-autonomous highway driving for $50k instead of $70k, and the 2023-2025 models mostly deliver on that promise. The 2026 redesign, though, hit a wall: a power-folding seat crushed a child to death in Ohio, triggering a 68,500-unit recall and stop-sale, while owners report dead batteries from digital key drain and wiring harness failures. The interior still impresses, the space is genuinely useful across all three rows, and the warranty cushions the gamble. But if you're buying new, you're debugging Hyundai's first swing at this generation. If you're buying used, stick to 2023-2025 and budget for a dealership experience that'll make you miss the DMV.
Lincoln's rear-drive luxury SUV delivers 400 twin-turbo horses and a genuinely plush cabin at a price point that undercuts the Germans by five figures, though you're trading badge prestige for value. The 2020-2021 launch models arrived with fit-and-finish problems and electrical gremlins that tarnished the comeback story; 2023+ builds appear cleaner, but the inconsistency means a thorough pre-purchase inspection isn't optional. Buy a recent-year Aviator if you want massage seats and serious power without the German repair bills, or if the Grand Touring hybrid's 500-hp efficiency appeals. Walk if you need a usable third row for adults, can't live without marquee cachet, or aren't willing to gamble on Lincoln's quality control finding its footing.